World News | Singapore PM Lee Says Relationship Between Parliament Speaker and MP Unacceptable
Get latest articles and stories on World at LatestLY. Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Monday said the relationship between Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin and fellow People's Action Party MP Cheng Li Hui was not just inappropriate but unacceptable which led to their resignation as both of them continued their affair despite him counselling them.
Singapore, Jul 17 (PTI) Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Monday said the relationship between Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin and fellow People's Action Party MP Cheng Li Hui was not just inappropriate but unacceptable which led to their resignation as both of them continued their affair despite him counselling them.
The prime minister's comments come after both Tan and Cheng resigned from their respective political positions and their membership in the ruling People's Action Party (PAP).
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“I think it's simply inappropriate to have a Speaker having a relationship with one of the MPs... It is not appropriate, it's not acceptable,” Lee told a press conference, pointing out the reason for the duo's resignation from political positions as well as membership of PAP which has ruled Singapore since independence.
Lee said he had learnt about the relationship sometime after the 2020 General Election but did not know when it began.
He spoke to both of them most recently in February and counselled them.
However, in July, the Prime Minister said he came across information that “strongly suggested” that the relationship had continued, reported The Straits Times newspaper.
“When such a situation arises, it is my duty as secretary-general of the party (PAP) to deal with them and put things right. This means to counsel, to correct, to admonish and ultimately, if necessary, to remove the MP from the party and Parliament,” he said.
Cheng had also been counselled, including by Lee in February, but “nevertheless she had continued the relationship with Tan”, said the Prime Minister.
A video clip of Tan's unparliamentary language was also circulated in July after which Lee had asked Tan to meet him.
During the discussion, Tan agreed to leave immediately, due to both his unparliamentary conduct as well as his inappropriate relationship with Cheng.
Meanwhile, opposition Workers' Party said on Monday that it is looking into a video clip circulating online in which two of its senior party members are purportedly seen sharing an intimate moment.
The 15-second video shows Indian origin MP Leon Perera sharing an intimate moment with fellow senior party member Nicole Seah at a restaurant, The Straits Times newspaper reported.
In a statement, the Workers' Party said it is "aware of a video clip circulating online today that suggests an inappropriate exchange between two senior party members.”
“The party is currently looking into the matter and will comment when we have the facts. The party also expects all its members to fully own and account for their behaviour,” the statement said.
Both Perera, 53, and Seah, 36, are married. They are also on the party's 15-member Central Executive Committee - its top decision-making body.
Perera is the MP for Aljunied GRC's Serangoon Division, and heads the party's media team. He has two children.
Seah, 36, is the WP's Youth Wing president. She has a daughter.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)